In Mizoram, the state government has declared partial lockdown in Aizawl municipal area till 17th September amid unlock 4.0 in the state. The decision has been taken in view of the spikes in Covid-19 cases.

An order issued last evening by the chief secretary Lalnunmawia Chuango said that a significant number of cases have been reported from contact tracing and unknown sources. In view of this the partial lockdown is announced to carry out extensive contact tracing and to reduce local transmission.

Mizoram witnessed highest cases within the last 24 hours after 141 new infections were registered.Since there has been traces of community spread, the state government has been exercising vigorous testing in different localities, and according to latest reports more than 100 cases are being locally transmitted.State Health Minister Dr R Lalthangliana will convene a meeting today to discuss the rising COVID-19 cases in the state.

On the other hand,48 BSF personnel who were quarantined at an Army run Quarantine Facility are found positive. Meanwhile 6 Indian Army personnel, under quarantine also tested positive.

According to the official statement, so far 745 patients have been discharged after recovery while 447 patients are presently undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry urges States/UTs to Mandatorily retest all Symptomatic Negative Cases of Rapid Antigen Tests through RT-PCR. Union Health Ministry has noted that in some large States, symptomatic negative cases tested by Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) are not being followed up by RT-PCT testing.

The Guidelines of ICMR as well as the Union Health Ministry clearly state that the following two specific categories of persons must necessarily be retested through RT-PCR tests: All symptomatic (fever or cough or breathlessness) negative cases of RAT and Asymptomatic negative cases of RAT that develop symptoms within 2 to 3 days of being tested negative. In this background, the Union Health Ministry and ICMR have jointly written to all the States/UTs and urged them to ensure that the all symptomatic negative cases of RAT are mandatorily retested using the RT-PCR test.

This is necessary to ensure that such symptomatic negative cases do not remain untested and do not spread the disease among their contacts. It has also been reiterated in the joint letter that while the RAT is being used to increase access and availability of testing in the field, RT-PCR remains the gold standard of COVID tests.

The Union Health Ministry has also urged the States/UTs to urgently establish a monitoring mechanism in every district (a designated officer or a team) and at the State level to follow up such cases. They have also been advised to undertake an analysis on a regular basis to monitor the incidence of positives during the RT-PCR tests conducted as a follow up.